Drop in road accident related deaths in Noida

Noida The number of road accidents and related deaths in the first three months of this year has significantly decreased as compared to the same period last year, Noida traffic police data show

Noida

HT Image

The number of road accidents and related deaths in the first three months of this year has significantly decreased as compared to the same period last year, Noida traffic police data show.

From January to March 2021, 69 people died and 98 people were injured in 155 road accidents in Gautam Budh Nagar. Ganesh Saha, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Gautam Budh Nagar, said the corresponding period last year saw 241 road accidents in which 123 died and 219 others injured in the district. In 2019, 136 people died and 257 were injured in 289 accidents.

“We studied the reasons which led to such accidents and started making corrections. There are around 35 ‘black spots’ or accident prone areas in Gautam Budh Nagar. We have fixed the black spots by placing barricades and dividers. The U-turns too have been made encroachment free. We also conducted awareness programmes which led to positive results,” Saha said.

The month-wise data provided by the traffic police department for in Gautam Budh Nagar showed that in January 2021, 50 accidents took place in which 22 people died and 30 others were injured. While 25 people died while 41 others were injured in 59 accidents in February, March saw 22 deaths and 27 people suffering injuries in 46 road accidents.

The year 2020 saw a total 380 deaths and injuries to 528 people in 745 road accidents.

Rohit Baluja, President of Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), said the number of accident deaths coming down is commendable. ”People had restricted their movement from March-November 2020 due to Covid. Now the traffic runs normally. In this scenario, if the accidents and deaths have decreased, it’s good,” he said.

However, Baluja said that many small accidents are not reported to the police, adding that the actual numbers may be higher.

The traffic police said that they also conduct enforcement drives and challan violators. Gautam Budh Nagar traffic police issued 4.96 lakh challans -- totalling fines of ₹17.90 crore -- to traffic violators in 2020.

In the first three months of 2020, the traffic police had issued challans to 1.09 lakh violators, amounting to ₹1.43 crore. During the same period this year, the department issued 1.52 lakh challans and collected ₹69 lakh.

Noida Traffic police on Saturday also conducted an awareness drive in association with a road safety NGO – TRAX - on use of branded helmets for two wheelers. “A team visited Sector 12-22 junction and held an awareness programme. People were advised to use only branded ISI marked helmets. The shop owners were also told to sell only branded helmets which can ensure people’s safety,” said Anurag Kulshrestha, president TRAX.